Many types of game calls have been developed over the years for a variety of purposes. Game calls have primarily been developed for simulating the sounds of wild animals. Among others, game calls have been developed to simulate the sounds of big game animals, such as elk and deer, birds and small game.
Turkey calls, in particular, have been the subject of significant research and development efforts over the years. A variety of different types of turkey calls have been developed. Friction calls broadly describes one category of game calls used for producing wild turkey sounds. Within the broad category of friction calls is the narrower category of slate-type game calls. As used herein, “slate-type” game calls means any type of game call that has a flat calling surface (e.g., a flat piece of slate, glass, crystal, aluminum, or any other suitable material) and a striker for contacting the calling surface to produce sounds of wild animals. The calling surface is commonly disc-shaped, but those skilled in the art will understand that a calling surface according to the present invention may be of any shape or size. To create appropriate sounds with a slate-type call, the calling surface is typically conditioned or treated (using sand paper, an emery cloth, a Brillo pad, a stone, or some other abrasive material) to increase the friction resulting from contact between the calling surface and the striker. The striker may be made out of a number of different materials, such as wood, metal, plastic, or any other suitable material as understood by those skilled in the art.
Most traditional slate-type calls have been hand-held calls. An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,912 which is incorporated in its entirety by this reference. In using these traditional slate-type calls, two hands are required: one hand is required to hold the portion of the call that includes the calling surface; another hand is required to hold the striker. For obvious reasons, requiring both hands to be used for slate-type calls has its disadvantages. If two hands must be used to operate the game call, the person using the call may not have a firearm or bow in position to be shot when using the game call. Turkeys, for example, have phenomenal eyesight, and can catch even the smallest of movements when they are within shooting range. The more movement when calling turkeys, the more likely a turkey will see the person doing the calling. The actions of putting down the game call and picking up a bow or firearm require movement which may result in a lost opportunity to harvest the game animal.
Still another problem with traditional slate-type game calls relates to the projection of sound produced by the call. A slate-type material is typically seated inside of a so-called pot or cup. The pot has an open end and side walls. A calling surface in the form of a circular disc is secured to open the end of the pot. A sounding board may also be mounted inside the call between the calling surface and the closed end of the pot. One or more apertures may be formed on the closed end of the pot to allow sound to escape from the closed end. While sound is projected both above and below the calling surface, a majority of the sound generated by the call passes toward the closed end of the pot. Typically the sounding board is elevated to some degree from the bottom surface of the pot so that the sounds will be appropriately amplified and resonated. To create proper sounds with traditional friction game calls, the bottom surface must not touch anything, otherwise the sounds produced by the call will be adversely affected.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide a slate-type call that is suspended above a surface on which the call is supported. There is further a need to provide a slate-type game call that includes an external sound chamber to assist in resonating and amplifying sounds created by the slate-type call. Still further, there is a need to provide a slate-type game call that can project sounds produced by the call directionally when the call is mounted to a surface. Additionally, there is a need to provide a slate-type game call that can be quickly secured and removed from a person's limb or from a firearm or archery bow.